


Strong blood

by Naysa



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Because this fic has incest, Cousin Incest, Did I say incest?, F/M, I'm warning you, INCEST PEOPLE THERE'S INCEST HEREEEE, Incest, Mysticism, R plus L equals J, Sibling Incest, So please avoid comments such as "this is disgusting", Wargs, and this fic's society believes incest to be totally normal, plus I would like to deal with dark-ish themes, so you've been warned
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-25
Updated: 2015-12-25
Packaged: 2018-05-06 02:19:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5399219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Naysa/pseuds/Naysa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>My blood is all I see.</em>
</p><p>The Starks, Kings in the North, marry their sisters to keep their bloods pure. Because the Stark blood holds a power they cannot forsake.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Strong blood

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sapphire_blue](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sapphire_blue/gifts).



> I would like to say that I wrote this with the prospect of exploring Arya and Jon's relationship, with the idea of doing some character studies, with the purpose of making a serious and slightly philosophical work... but I wrote this to fangirl and I'm not even sorry. 
> 
> So I invite you to enjoy the ride and, hopefully, fangirl till you are out of breath. Because Jon and Arya are just too cute, damn it, _they are killing me_. (Yes, this was inspired, as many things I write, after re-reading Jon's chapters in ADWD. I can't stop myself).
> 
> And I'm dedicating this to the beautiful Sapphire! Because I adore her and I don't think I need another reason. MERRY CHRISTMAS MY BEAUTIFUL CREATURE OF DARKNESS.

He can’t move.

He’s just standing there, staring at the corpse of his sister, and he can do _nothing._ The baby in his arms is oddly calm, and Ned just stares at the tears in his sister’s face, still fresh, still shining.

“ _It’s odd,_ ” she had said as the tears fell with the last breaths nestled in her lungs. “ _I thought it would be Rhaegar’s death what would bring me more pain… but it’s the news of Brandon leaving this world what truly breaks my heart.”_

Her voice keeps going over and over in Ned’s mind. Her feeble, weak voice, full of regrets and drowning in heartbreak.

“ _Promise me, Ned.”_

He wants to hate her. In the deepest of his heart he truly wants to hate her and curse her and not love the child he’s holding. He’s unable to do any of those things. His heart bleeds for her death and his eyes are blurry because of her pain and the love he feels for the child, _her son,_ that’s in his arms is as big as if the son was his.

The child was supposed to be Brandon’s. That’s how it was supposed to be: Lyanna was meant to be Brandon’s queen and the mother of his children. But love was unpredictable and Lyanna had always been so passionate. To ask her not to follow her heart would’ve been to ask someone not to breathe.

Her heart guided her steps and her wildness clouded her mind and Rhaegar Targaryen took over her soul.

Now just ashes, tears and blood were left behind. Rhaegar was dead, Brandon was dead, Lyanna was dead. All of them: gone.

The baby in his arms starts moving and Ned’s mind is brought to the present with a force that leaves him disoriented for a second. That second that takes him to gather his thoughts is what breaks the child’s patience and the baby starts crying, no, _wailing,_ in full force.

He doesn’t know what to do. He just stays there, looking at the baby, bewildered. And, _gods,_ the baby has some big lungs in that tiny body of his if he can scream so loud for so long.

The cries eventually bring the attention of Ned’s men and they enter the room with a frown on their faces. The last thing they were probably expecting was a baby. Ned had been the only one to enter the room and Lyanna’s state had cleared his mind from every other thought, letting his men know that his sister had had a baby in utmost secrecy was never on his list of priorities.

And, the more he thinks about it, the more he is convinced letting people know isn’t wise either. This baby, this small human being, is and would forever be a constant reminder of the betrayal of House Stark to their own people. The betrayal of Lyanna, their future queen, to her kin and her kingdom.

This child, born out of tragedy, secrecy and war, would forever be tainted with his parent’s mistakes. Three Starks had perished in this war, the North was left without a King not once, but twice, and now the crown would fall on Ned’s head, the kingdom on his shoulders and his wife wasn’t born a Stark. Could he walk in with this baby in his arms?

With his mind dwelling in dark thoughts, he doesn’t hear Howland Reed approach him. He just feels him put a hand on his shoulder and Ned, startled, looks up. His friend looks at him with a pained expression on his face and Ned sighs, knowing very well what that expression means.

Oh, what will he do?

_ Promise me, Ned.  _

He promised to protect this child and it was his promise what brought Lyanna the small taste of peace that allowed her to leave this world without pain stabbing her heart. He promised.

He promised.

_ And I will not break a promise. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short prologue, I know. But there's more to come, I promise. Originally, I was going to just write a one-shot but then things evolved and now it's a multi-chapter fic. 
> 
> I'll try to publish every friday, if I don't follow the schedule please bug me about it (my [tumblr ask](http://bringhersafetome.tumblr.com/ask/) is open for you, dear ones).
> 
> Don't forget to share your opinion in a comment! Thank you for reading.


End file.
